Half Court Defense: Miami's Trademark

Jimmy Graham from Getty Images

The Hurricanes have won their first NCAA game since defeating Ohio State eight years ago when Leonard Hamilton was still coaching the team. My long held fear that Perry Clark's reign would turn Miami into another Oregon State, Florida State or Baylor (until Scott Drew turned that thing around) were subsided this season. As our readers recall I predicted the Hurricanes Football team to have a losing record unlike any of the so called "experts" and was correct and also predicted the Hurricanes would push to make the NCAAs in Basketball despite being picked last in the league at ACC media day. On both counts I was correct, although I will admit my lifetime record of predictions has been nowhere near as accurate, and the Hurricanes play during points of this season particularly against Florida State twice had me wondering if I was misplaced with my faith.

Last season very few people paid attention to Miami after December. I continued to watch and despite being beat night in and night out I saw a team that played great defense and never gave up on games despite being undermanned against every ACC opponent. So from my vantage point, Frank Haith accomplished something Perry Clark couldn't: keep a bad team that was being beaten every night interested in Basketball. Knowing the ACC was going to be weaker this year and Miami's only losses were the vastly out of sorts Anthony Harris and the destructive Dennis Clemente, I figured shedding talent and staying healthy may move the Canes towards the ACC upper division. That's why after last season I correctly stated on the All Canes blog run by our buddy Canes 305 that I felt better about a 12-20 Miami team than the team that made the NIT quarterfinals the previous season. I could sense Miami's identity being formed through a very long, tough and difficult year, something I never sensed on a team where Rob Hite and Guillermo Diaz showed no discipline but were too talented to not at least get Miami to the NIT in back to back seasons.

Today's performance was the nation's first taste of what Hurricane fans have seen all year. I find it amazing that Ian Eagle and Jim Sparnarkal kept referring to both teams as sloppy. Had they scouted Miami closely they'd realize every Miami game is sloppy. The Hurricanes interior defense creates mistakes for the opposition, while Miami's lack of a true ball handler creates offensive issues for the Hurricanes. After falling behind 9-2 in the opening minutes and not having any sort of movement off the ball to create offensive opportunities, Miami's half court defense clamped down and frustrated St Mary's for much of the remainder of the first half. Given St Mary's had used all their ammunition and had played about as well as they had and were only up five, meant Miami simply had to outlast the Gaels in the second half.

But the Canes actually went on a run and Jack McClinton showed moves off the dribble we haven't seen much of this year. Included in McClinton's 38 points were only three, 3 pointers. So in other words he not only got to the free throw line a lot but he hit alot of mid range jumpers in the lane, something that typically is more James Dews' game. At the same time Miami's often absent perimeter defense began to clamp down on the St Mary's guards and the post defense continued to dominate. So the Hurricanes ran away with the game.

The key of course was the half court defense which Jimmy Graham and Dwayne Collins anchor but which get substantial contributions on some nights from Seniors Ray Hicks and Anthony King. Both Seniors were outstanding today.

The Hurricanes now face Texas, and Coach Haith's mentor Rick Barnes. Miami will be substantially out classed more like the Canes were against North Carolina than against a Duke team Miami really could have beaten twice if some bounces and calls had gone the right way. But Miami's half court sets on defense will give anybody fits. The question is do the Hurricanes have enough scoring in the tank and can they cut down on the turnovers to give Texas a game?

Other thoughts:

• Thank goodness for Mega March Madness online. By signing up for a VIP pass I wasn't deprived of the game after WPEC in West Palm Beach opted to switch telecasts to Tennessee-American. I live in Broward County but watched the game in Boca Raton with a friend and instantly turned to the computer and watched the remainder of the Canes game.
  
• Lance Hurdle turned the ball over by my count seven times today. Recall this week I stated he'd be the key for the Hurricanes in tournament. On that count I was wrong. The Hurricanes won today in spite of Hurdle not because of him.
  
• Brian Asbury has regressed offensively as the year has gone on. What little he gives the team on offense is a bonus at this point, but his man up defense is probably still the best on the team.
  
• Jimmy Graham changes games. I've said it all year. Miami is much better with Graham on the floor than Anthony King. But Graham must learn how to not pick up silly, quick fouls if he is to play more minutes next year. However you don't want to over coach him because his aggressiveness on both ends of the floor is what makes him so good.
  
• Jack McClinton's game today is one of the best, perhaps the best ever by a UM player. Not only did he break Johnny Hemsley's school record of 35 points against Lafayette in the NCAAs back in 1999, but the way he scored today showed a maturity he lacked just two months ago.
• Anthony King showed more fire today than he has all season. That's a senior making his first tournament appearance for you.
  
• Classy move by Coach Haith at the end getting walk ons Landon Glover and Johnathan Stratton on the floor. They will always be able to tell their families and kids that they played in an NCAA Tournament victory!